I want to make a Christmas cake but don't like dried fruit

[Kraggle]

Is it possible? It's the texture I don't like mainly, could I blitz the dried fruit before making it?

I've never made a Christmas cake before but like the taste of the spices etc when I've tried my fil's (from the tiny bit of crumbs I end up with after picking the fruit out)

Also when should it so it's ready for Christmas?

[patterkiller]

Sorry can't help but I'm watching, I have exactly the same issue. Infact our family of four don't like dried fruit but would love a Christmas alternative.

[thundernlightning]

Could you modify a recipe with coarse jam instead if the dried fruit? You might need to adjust the wet:dry ratio by adding a little more flour but I think the flavours would be about right.

[HuevosRancheros]

Aargh, just typed out a response and lost it :(

I'm thinking this year of amalgamating two recipes, both Nigella.
Her sticky gingerbread is lovely, I reckon if you toned down the ginger and added a load of mixed spice, you would get that Christmas cake flavour.
Also, her sticky toffee muffins use dates that have been boiled and puréed; that would add that dried fruit flavour a bit, as well as adding moisture.

[SueGeneris]

I know you can do this and it's delicious, as this is how my wedding cake was made.

I don't actually know HOW you do it though.

At a guess I'd blitz the dried fruit after soaking it and mix the puree with the cake mix.

[SanityClause]

Make lebkuchen instead?

[SueGeneris]

Google Jamaican black cake - I'm sure you could use one of those recipes as a base just using whatever alcohol you prefer. Black cake uses pureed soaked dried fruits. That will have been what I had at my wedding.

[BrandNewAndImproved]

I was just coming on to say Jamaican brown cake sue

The one my exmil used to make was amazing although she never followed a recipe.

Heat up raisins and prunes (you have to use prunes) in the microwave with rum and blitz. That will take away the need to soak prunes and raisins for a year!

You'll also probably never get a proper recipe as it changes per person.

It doesn't taste like burnt raisins and add glacier cherries!

[IAmcuriousyellow]

Prue Leith has a recipe for Light Fruit Cake, I make it for DH who is a hater of raisins currants sultanas etc. It has dried chopped apricots, cherries, crystallised pineapple and either ginger in syrup or crystallised ginger. No mixed spice. This is our Christmas cake and it is handsome!

[RNBrie]

Delia has a cake that I think tastes like Christmas

honey spice cake

You could do a traditional Christmas icing instead of the lemon icing if you wanted to.

It's so delicious!

[SealSong]

I'm in the same boat, OP, and for the last two years have made Dan Lepard's honey and treacle cake. Don't be deceived by this cake's plain looks - it has an incredible depth of flavour and has some unusual spices such as black pepper. It is truly delicious. I usually add some extra glace cherries and dried cranberries (soaked before adding), and put some on top of the icing for decoration. Everyone loves it and it's become a bit of a family tradition.

[SealSong]

Oh and the recipe calls for rye flour - I usually use half rye and half normal plain flour, to lighten it a bit.

[CharleyDavidson]

I like making Christmas cake, but don't like fruit cake. Luckily, others love the cake I make so I make one for home and one for my Mum and Dad and don't have any for myself.

You could make a normal sponge cake and add mixed spice. That's nice. Iced or not. It just won't last very long compared to fruit cake. I like to use a mixed spice sponge on top of sliced apple in the autumn. :)

[SwedeDreams]

Oh some lovely cake ideas on here, marking place!

[Kraggle]

Some good ideas, thank you! Is it the fruit and alcohol that makes the cakes long lasting? If so I thi the soaking then blitzing idea is the way to go. I don't mind glacé cherries so can put them in and nuts to give it texture.

I'm the same with mince pies, love the pastry and the spices jammy stuff but have to scrape the dried fruit out!